Mark Lewis, a lawyer representing several alleged phone hacking victims
including the family of murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler, gives evidence to
the Leveson Inquiry.

Mark Lewis told the Leveson Inquiryinto press standards that hacking the phones of celebrities and other people in the news was "too easy to do" for journalists.

He suggested that reporters, at least initially, thought of the practice as no worse than driving at 35mph in a 30mph zone.

Mr Lewis said he believed illegal voicemail interception was widespread because there was no other means for journalists to get certain information.

"It is evidence-based conclusions, certainly on a civil basis, of what I am being told by clients and taking instructions from them as to whether or not stories are written that could not have got to newspapers in any other way," he said.